"O people! Spread the salaam; maintain good ties with the kin; and pray at night while people are sleeping, then you will enter Paradise peacefully." (Tirmidhi)

HIS WORDS OUT.

Zayn could see from the side of his eyes as his wife kept fidgeting on her seat at the passenger's side. She's itching to ask questions and trying to hide from her previous action which he very much liked. Her innocence is back with full force even before they left the place and that is just intriguing him to her every time. She's just full of do many things but she didn't let herself get too comfortable. He needs to change that, and that too soon. First, she'll ask him so many questions as soon as they settle in the house, he'll make sure she asks him. He's not ready to answer the answers I details but he wants her to ask him that will show how much she cared.

You can't just see someone calling your husband baby and won't get jealous about it.

"Stop fidgeting." He rolled his eyes at her when she shot a glare at him. His feisty wife is back and he's welcoming her with open arms.

"I'm not! You're just seeing things." She replied, adjusting herself on the seat again.

Nana badly wants to ask him who that woman is, but kept quite as it is not her business. Isn't she his wife? Yes she is but is she supposed to be nosey when their marriage is anything but a love marriage. Even so, it is not based on hatred and it is not forced so she has the right, right? Ugh, it's confusing her and one thing is, she doesn't want it to look like she's kibitzing here.

Then her tomfool action back there. What was she thinking? What was it that made her do all that and the little pinch in her chest by the left side where her heart lie? The feeling is so new and strange to her but she is trying to brush it off and immediately open the door and leave the car as soon as it halted in there parking lot. She's not ready to talk to him about his past and he also doesn't look like he wants to talk to about it.

"I can't stroll around again. I'm so tired and I got a call earlier from Mashhub. He said that there is a party that my friends and employees arranged tomorrow, to celebrate my wedding and we should go." He explained, flopping down on the sofa.

"I don't like parties. I'm not a fan." She released an exasperated breathe, sitting on the another sofa.

"I'm hungry! And you are going, that's final." Zayn glare at his wife before standing up and moving to the sofa she's sitting. He knows what he's getting himself into.

"Wh-what are you doing? Why did you stand up from that couch?" She warily look at him, stuttering out the words like a sick sylph.

"Because, my wife is avoiding sitting next to me so here I am." He wrap his right arm behind the sofa where Nana's head lies. His closeness is really not doing well to her, she doesn't even know what to say. His heat is very close to her that it's warming her with it.

"Uh huh..." She made a move to stand up but Zayn was fast to bring her back on the couch, trapping her with his arms around her waist. Her heart launch to her mouth because of the sparks that flew around her body, making her to unconsciously arch her back.

"Stop avoiding me. I'm your husband!" He snapped even though it was meant to be playful, she didn't quite get the frolicsome, so she stayed put. No words came out of her mouth and she didn't move, she looks like a statue, gaping at him.

In all truthfulness, she knew what she's doing is not good. She's been depriving him of his rights and she doesn't even let him touch her which is very common to married couples. Deep down, she knew he is really trying, keeping everything to himself and trying to get to know her. With those little banters here and there, she's getting to know little about him. It's not like she's uncomfortable with him, she's not -not anymore- but it's like there are some secrets and invisible barrier keeping her away from giving her all to him. She is going to try and give them a chance from now on. But not before playing a little.

"Sorry!" She timidly replied, sinking back on the couch, his finger making unknown patterns around her hips.

"I was just kidding." He rolled his eyes. He saw the look in her eyes when her they were turning gears, thinking that he was really mad. He's anything but mad actually. "Go on, let's launch on the chocolates before they bring our food." He cheered.

They probably are going to be bringing dinner, not lunch because it's almost time for Maghrib.

"Sure." He doesn't like this Nana! He is not liking this obedient, submissive wife, he wants the other Nana that's always trying to oppose him. The sassy one. He sure is going to bring that other Nana back, this one is just too plain.

Nana stood up from the couch and ferried to the kitchen where she kept the paper bags earlier. She removed some from it and stock the rest in the freezer before going back to the parlour to join him. This time, she sat down next to him like they did earlier. She'll irritate him to no end since he wants her to be a submissive wife. She'll even give him his huge right today if it means to annoy the living daylight out of him.

"Stop behaving like this." He frowned, looking like he's about to jump away from her, like she's a whole new person.

Chuckling mentally, Nana said; "Behaving how?" She innocently whispered.

"Like a submissive wife because we both know that that's not who you are. Now act like the real you or I make you." The challenge in Zayn's eyes is not something that should be unsheathed. The man is always determined.

"Okay okay! One minute, you want me to be submissive and the next you're asking me not to. Are you like, a psycho?" She released a breath, he's so darn infuriating.

"We are psychos! And I didn't ask you to stop being submissive, I said you should behave like yourself." He rolled his eyes, drawing her back to his arms by her wrist.

"Stop making this difficult." He heard her murmured.

What is wrong this time around? It's not like he's making anything difficult. He just wants her to be herself around him and let them have a good relationship together. She should not be afraid of him like he's some wicked mage or a fae. He wants his relationship with her to be very comfortable and smooth. The hardest part is, she looks like everything is getting out of her hand and it is not helping his situation at all.

"I'm not making anything difficult, mami. I just want us to have a cozy relationship. I don't want you to feel like you're tied with me and you'll have to follow whatever I say like a lost puppy. I know our religion wants you to do that but I'm freeing you from that. Yes, you should respect me but not to the point where you can't even say your own opinion to me. Your opinion matters and you'll always be my first priority from now on. I don't know how we can make this work but I've always wanted our relationship to work, ever since I set my eyes on you. We never really had any serious conversation but we don't need it to know each other. I know so many things about you from and I want to keep knowing more, only if you'll let me." He murmured on her head as he has his head on hers.

Nana is suddenly tongue tied, tears prickling inside her eyelids. His words totally smash her sassy remarks and even words. She has been really stupid to not notice a thing about him other than his love for chocolate. Now he knows a lot about her -no doubt- and she knows nothing! What a terrible wife she is!

Instead of replying, she tug her hands around his torso, lying her head on his chest and taking a big gulp of his scent -he smells amazing as always. She wants to use that gesture to make him know that she's also ready to give them a chance. She wants him to explore her and she do him. She wants them to find each and every piece of their selves by adventuring into each others' life. Now she'll start by asking him about that girl as the question is never leaving her head.

"Who is that girl?" She finally mumble against his chest after taking a deep breath. This will be the start of something fresh and new, she could feel it.

"I think we should eat first and I'll tell you that as bedtime story even though it's anything but that..." He kissed her head -on top of her dove hijab- before helping them both stand up.

Rukayyah called her earlier that their food is just outside by the porch that she doesn't want to disturb the lovebirds. She also told her that today is the last day they'll be bringing food for them -Nana can't stop thanking God that her mother kept that tradition to bring food for a bride for two weeks- and she has a lot to tell her about. They're also coming to her house tomorrow to get dressed together with Zayn's sisters.

It looks like she's the last person to know about the little luncheon arranged for them. 'Nice husband.' She thought sarcastically.

After finishing dinner, they went to their bedroom and took turns changing in the closet, not before praying Ishā. Nana still has her head covered but not in small dove hijab she usually wore, today -Zayn noticed- that she's wearing on a cap made from stretch-knit Japanese cotton and cotton nightdress whilst he's wearing sweatpants and black vest.

He's still trying to get used to sleeping with vests as he likes sleeping with his upper body opened, no matter how cold it is. And she also hates sleeping with under wears but getting used to it.

Nana lie down on the right side while he took the left like they usually do but the distance is killing him today for some odd reasons.

"Come closer." He whispered with a little voice as if not to scare her.

"Uh--" Nana's eyes are wide like saucers as she hesitates, not that she doesn't trust him.

"No funny business, I promise. I just want to hold you as I'll need your strength to go through the story I never said openly. Not that it's terrible!" He murmured and that got her moving closer to him.

When she's close enough, he wrapped his arms around her frame and flush her to his chest, inhaling the scent of the soap she is using to wash her hair with, orange with a hint of another traditional incense burner. Her hair might be sheathed but the smell is very strong to his nostrils and lavender is now his favorite.

"You don't have to, you know." Nana tried to reason out with him even though her curiosity is killing her.

"I want to!" He murmured and with that, he started;
"That girl was my wife!"

°°°°°°°°°°
Salam!
Another update, yay! Who saw that coming? You don't know what is going to hit you, wait for it!
How are you all doing? Hope you're doing good and great even. Hmm, me I can't wait to see who that woman is o. And a new start? What I'm I smelling here, hehehe! Don't forget to VOTE COMMENT and SHARE please. . .
QOTD: What do you think about working everything out? What do you think is going to happen? About the new start? Will she be going to the party? What is Rukayyah going to tell her? How is Zayn's behavior? What do you think?!

Bye!
Aishatu.⭐